Associates to get a shot at Tests

Dubai, 2014/Apr/10 09:04:00

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At the conclusion of the two-day ICC Board meeting in Dubai, it has been decided to go forward with the proposed ICC Test challenge.

The Test challenge gives the Associate members a chance to play Test cricket. The winner of the ICC Intercontinental Cup will get a chance to play the 10th ranked Test nation at the end of December, 2017 or at the conclusion of any series ongoing in that period. There will be two five-day Tests played at the home of the winner of the Intercontinental Cup and two more Tests away.

The first ICC Test challenge will be played in 2018 at the conclusion of the Intercontinental Cup that runs from 2015 to 2017. The second one will be played in 2022 after the second Intercontinental Cup.

It is understood that the full members will not be relegated even if they lose in the proposed Test challenge. The full members will retain their status or voting rights. Their schedule according to the Future Tours Program will continue as planned.

Dave Richardson, the ICC chief executive, said, "The ICC Test Challenge now opens the door for Associate Members to play Test cricket and in doing so gives even greater context to the ICC Intercontinental Cup which will now be a pathway to Test cricket.

Taking forward the changes to governance and financial structures that were agreed upon in the previous meeting on February 8, it has also been decided to have an extended Future Tours Program until 2023. The bi-lateral series in the period will be agreed upon by the respective boards and will be monitored by the ICC. Any constitutional amendments that are required to make the changes in the governing system will be drawn upon and placed before the Full Council at the annual ICC conference in June. The changes include the changes in re-distribution of finances and drawing up a new all-powerful Executive committee.

The FTP is a very important piece of work as it gives Members long-term certainty in relation to both their playing schedule and financial planning. Significant progress has been made but there is still work to be done to develop a balanced calendar of tours and finalise these agreements," said Richardson.

With the success of the recently concluded World T20 in Bangladesh, the same format will be retained for the next one to be played in India in 2016.